Photokina 2012 Roundup

The dpreview team has just got back from the Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany and, while the jet-lag may be waning, our heads are still spinning from typhoon of interesting products launched at the show. Unlike previous shows, where product announcements came in stages and built up to a crescendo at the show itself, Photokina 2012 was characterised by a whirlwind of activity the day before the show opened to the public. This made it easy for interesting cameras, lenses and announcements to get lost in the squall so, now the storm has passed, we thought we'd assess the post-Photokina landscape. What stands out and why do we think the next few months will be some of the most interesting we've seen for years?

A flurry of full frame

The biggest news at the show for enthusiast photographers was probably the arrival of a new generation of full frame cameras. Nikon and Canon introduced less expensive models, the D600 and EOS 6D to sit below their D800 and 5D Mark III. Meanwhile Sony, which offered the first sub-$2000 full frame DSLR with the A850, created a rather more high-end affair with the SLT-A99. Bristling with features both for stills and video shooters and making the most of its full-time live-view SLT design, the A99 is a camera I think none of us will fully appreciate until we've had time to try it.

The Nikon D600 was just one of the full frame cameras launched at Photokina

That said, the Nikon D600 is not a camera to be underestimated. Although it doesn't offer a lot in the way of new novel technologies, it has a spec sheet crammed with familiar, high-end features. It's essentially a full-frame D7000, but that means it doesn't give up much in terms of specification to the much more expensive D800. And, by comparison, Canon's EOS 6D seems a little slight. The list prices of the two cameras are similar in most territories (with the Nikon being a shade pricier in some), but the D600 offers more focus points, a viewfinder with 100% coverage, slightly faster continuous shooting, twin card slots and a built-in flash capable of controlling groups of remote flashguns. The Canon, by contrast has an AF system rated to -3EV (one quarter of the light needed by the Nikon), and built-in GPS and Wi-Fi, which the Nikon gains only via a little plug-in accessory.

We've got a D600 in the office and will be posting test shots from it over the coming days but we're still waiting to hear when we can expect a 6D, so there'll be a bit of a delay before we can see how it compares.

The Leica M offers more than just traditional rangefinder shooting

But it wasn't just the mainstream brands celebrating the 36x24mm frame - Leica introduced the 'M' - a camera that is likely to be remembered in the company's history for its number of 'firsts.' It's Leica's first CMOS-based rangefinder, its first to shoot movies and its first to offer live view (even to the point of allowing a through-the-lens EVF to be added). It's also the first to abandon numbering - with the company adopting an intentionally timeless naming scheme, in the style of the Porsche 911. Not only does it stress the camera's status as part of a dynasty, it also gives the Leica-philes their own shibboleth (the cognoscenti will call this M the 'typ 240'). Alongside the M is the M-E, a slightly stripped-down M9 at a still bank-balance troubling $5,450.

Mirrorless maturity

This is the second Photokina since Panasonic's DMC-G1 announced the dawn of the age of the mirrorless camera. It's taken all that time for the industry to agree on a single term for these cameras but there were signs in Cologne (including a huge '1st Mirrorless' campaign from Panasonic - one of the companies most resistent to the term), that 'mirrorless' has finally been near universally accepted.

Beyond this, the theme of the show was maturity, with the launch of more focused and more capable products than ever. In recognition that there is an enthusiast market for smaller cameras, Photokina 2012 saw the launch of the Sony NEX-6 and Fujifilm's XE-1. The NEX-6 features a command dial and physical mode dial, taking it closer to a conventional DSLR control system than ever. It's still based on the original NEX interface, which still contains a few of its original foibles, but we'll wait to see what it's like to live with before drawing any further conclusions.

The Fujifilm X-E1 combines the cutting-edge with the classic

Then there's the XE-1 (one of the stars of the show from my personal perspective - Richard). It brings the sensor and image quality from the X-Pro1 to a smaller body and adds in Sony's excellent OLED viewfinder. Combine that with an F2.8-4 18-55mm lens that seems to focus pretty quickly and, so long as it doesn't throw up any surprises, it looks like it could make a tempting camera (or second camera) for someone who might previously have bought a mid-level DSLR (it's around the same price as the Nikon D7000 was, at launch).

Meanwhile Panasonic tried to cement its position in the stills/movie crossover market with the impressive-looking GH3. It's the biggest Micro Four Thirds camera yet, and the most solidly built. Panasonic promises much in the way of stills image prowess but it's the bewildering range of movie frame rates, compression types and features such as time code that show it is serious about film making.

At the other end of the market, Olympus updated its PEN series with a pair of easy-to-use cameras, the E-PM2 and E-PL5. In many respects these are gentle refreshes of its existing products, but with the key change of featuring the same excellent sensor and processor combination as the Gold Award-winning OM-D EM-5. That promises a lot of image quality in a compact package for relatively little money. Photokina also provided a first chance for a lot of people to play with Canon's EOS-M. While not exactly the most original product on the market, we suspect a lot of people will have been as impressed as we have been by its touch-screen interface, which will certainly help sell it, anywhere people have the chance to handle one.

Lenses for mirrorless

The increasing maturity of Mirrorless cameras is also reflected in the continued expansion of the lens ranges for the major systems. Panasonic and Olympus both further swelled the ranks of the Micro Four Thirds system with a selection of lenses, further bolstering its position as best-developed mirrorless system. Panasonic announced its long-awaited 35-100mm F2.8 telezoom and promised the high-end 42.5mm F1.2 and a 150mm F2.8 super-tele. Olympus, meanwhile, unveiled a 60mm F2.8 Macro lens, promised a 17mm F1.8 fast normal and created a distinctly eccentric 15mm F8 lens/body cap.

Olympus' 17mm F1.8 lens adds still more options for Micro Four Thirds users

Sony also added some key lenses to the E-mount used by its NEX system, with the addition of a 10-18mm F4 ultra-wide-angle zoom, a 35mm F1.8 fast normal and a compact, retractable and rather nicely implemented 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 power zoom. Samsung debuted a rather inexpensive-feeling 45mm F1.8 (which seems a little short for its described purpose as a portrait lens) and a 12-24mm F4-5.6 wide-angle zoom. Finally, from the camera makers, were Fujilfilm's promised 18-55mm F2.8-4 OIS and its 21mm equivalent 14mm F2.8 prime.

Carl Zeiss will create autofocus lenses for E and X mounts

However, a trend we found really interesting was the promise of autofocus lenses from two of the industry's most respected lens makers. Carl Zeiss has said it will make a series of AF lenses for the Sony E mount and Fujifilm X-mount, while Schneider Kreuznach showed mock-ups of three lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system. These lenses show a lot of faith that there is a market for high-end customers (we expect all these lenses to cost at least $1,000).

Quality compacts continue

Alongside the mirrorless refresh comes a continued surge of enthusiast compacts, which shows no sign of being abated by the emergence of the enthusiast mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. And the good news is that there seems to be a trend towards faster lenses, to make the most of their 1/1.7" sensors. In recent months we've seen the Nikon P7700 arrive with a newly fast lens (28-200mm equiv, F2.8-4), and the Samsung EX2F bring a newer sensor and Wi-Fi to the Korean giant's offering. Photokina raised the stakes still further - Canon's S110 gains Wi-Fi and a touch screen, while its PowerShot G15 follows Nikon's lead by offering a brighter zoom without compromising range (28-140mm equiv. at F1.8-2.8 sounds pretty handy).

The Fujifilm XF1 is available in a range of colours

Olympus too has a promising product in the XZ-2, which appears to address many of our concerns about its predecessor while keeping the bits we liked. There's a lot more customization to be had, along with a flip-up screen, newer sensor and clever dual-mode control dial, combined with an excellent 28-112mm equiv. F1.8-2.5 lens. The only concern we have based on our limited use of the camera is the bulk it's gained over the XZ-1. Which isn't a concern we have about the undeniably pretty Fujifilm XF1. It features larger-than-average 2/3" sensor (as seen in the X10), combined with a 28-100mm equiv. F1.8-4.9 zoom. Our first impressions of its user interface are promising - further adding to our headache of which camera we need to get hold of first.

Out of the blue

The Samsung Galaxy Camera offers plenty of photographic control

The move towards connectivity continued, not just with the EOS 6D and Canon S110, but also with the Samsung Galaxy Camera. The lines between camera and smartphone have never seemed so subtle, with Samsung effectively adding the sensor and processor from one of its WB series of superzooms to the back of one of its Galaxy smartphones. The Galaxy Camera takes a key step ahead of Nikon's Coolpix S800c, which also offers an Android-based camera, through its inclusion of 3G or 4G cellular connectivity. It's hard to imagine how the added convenience of full-time internet access will change the way you use a camera, but we suspect a lot of its success will depend on how the mobile contracts required end up being priced.

And finally, it would be hard to write about Photokina 2012 without mentioning the Hasselblad Lunar. The first product of a collaboration with Sony, the Lunar will offer the buyer a bespoke selection of premium materials to house a series of distinctly NEX-7-like camera components. The company stresses that it will be built in Sweden from the finest materials, but this aggressive leveraging of a brand name provoked dismay and ridicule in equal measure. We're not really in the luxury goods business, so it's probably irrelevant what we think of it as a camera. It'll be interesting to see how the Hassy/Sony collaboration pans out, though (including the 'product for the DSLR segment').

Finally, then, were the unexpected full frame cameras from Sony - the NEX-VG900, a video camera that allows the use of a wide range of full-frame and APS-C lenses, and the RX1, a super-high-end fixed lens full frame compact. The VG900's E-mount means almost any lens can be fitted using an adapter, such as the new LA-EA3 full frame E-A mount adapter. Sony has stressed that creating full frame lenses for it would essentially mean re-creating the lenses it already offers in A-mount. However, it's the $2,700 Cyber-Shot RX1 that had everyone talking. With its fixed, 35mm F2 lens (itself a wonder of design), it risks being a heroically niche product, but desirable nonetheless. And, in an odd way, it's hard not to wonder whether it would have been taken more seriously if it had said Hasselblad on the front.

The CF use parallel port and routing by yourself more complicated and PCB more expensive compare to SD. Plus, CF connector also costly. And, actually, I will be happy to exchange Wi-Fi and GPS together to advanced AF system.

@stompler:> And, actually, I will be happy to exchange Wi-Fi and GPS together to advanced AF system.>indeed, WiFi and GPS are just gimmicky toys in comparison to a more decent AF, but instead improving it all we got is a cripple :(

Richard, thanks a lot for your efforts in providing us with news. I understand that it is a lot of ground to cover, but I wonder about the lack of mentioning Sigma in the final report. The two large sensor compacts was known well before PK, but I do think Sigmas new, ground breaking end user lens calibration SW and dock was worth mentioning. As it allows for firmware updates to the lens, AND micro AF adjustments to store in the lens, it should be of great interest - as it is tricky to have both camera and lenses updated if using 3rd party lenses. The option to even calibrate for different focal lengths of a zoom is also quite neat.

I think it will be more a game changer for full frame system camera's The introduction of 'payable' (subjective) fullframe dslr's is a sign that the competition of high image and funcional quality compact system camera's is coming closer and closer to that of the DSLR.

The comment of DPreview is absolutely correct in relation to the RX1, if it would mention Hasselblad it would give much more Oohs' en Aaahs' on the show and no one would even debate about the price.However I felt the interest for it on Photokina floor already quite high epsecially on press day, most where mumbling about it's price unfortunately instead of it's features and quality.

I'd say the Canon 5D marked the start of the full frame era as the first compact and relatively affordable full frame camera. The Sony RX1 is interesting but with the price higher than current full frame DSLRs it's not going to be a game changer at this stage.

What Nikon failed to introduce were new 300mm f/4, 80-400mm ... and a 70-200mm f/4 lens. With a nice selection of fast primes from Nikon and Zeiss available, some more compact and lighter-weight zooms and teles would have been welcome.

I was an ad copywriter for a leading camera company in the seventies and eighties, and Mr. Butler's last line is a stroke of branding genius. The Lunar has the potential to be the "new coke" of the camera marketing world. The Hasseblad RX-1, with Zeiss lens and possibly the highest IQ in the universe (well at least the Earth and the Moon), would have made imminent sense. Finish it with chrome and the leather from the iconic Hasseblad 500, raise the price by a few thousand, and it would still cost half as much as an offering from Leitz!

I went to the Photokina on Friday. My impression was, that there was less to be seen than before. Some notable exhibitors were missing - Manfrotto and Gitzo were not there, Crumpler - whom I first came aware of on the Photokina - was absent. Hahnemühle and Canson Stands did no longer let you look at their paper in detail (But local company Sihl have got an interessting offereing now). Sigma seems to have removed the apperture ring from their lenses altogether - so I can count them out for my film Pentaxes. Samyang I found interessting. Voigtlönder and Zeiss do not offer Pentax anymore. But the Voigtländer Nokton 25mm /0.95 for MFt was cool if somewhat pricy.Re tripods - Carbon tripos are getting more affordable with offerings from Vanguard and Sirui. Let's face it Canon and Nilon I can look at at any decent camera store in nearby Cologne or Aix-La-Chapelle. It is the accessories which interesst me.Was it my impression, that there were fewer people than last year?

I completely disagree with this statement. There's no way around the fact that FF sensors need a large slab of silicon and have a much higher failure rate (more need to be thrown away). This will never change.

In fact, I think the price of a FF sensor will continue to be so prohibitive, that more research will continue going in smaller sensors, and that one day APS-C and maybe even M4/3 sensors might surpass the performance of FF sensors.

Mike,I've heard this argument before, regarding silicon yields, and I'm not sure if it will continue to bear weight as time goes on but regardless...the real power at play here is the market. Camera manufacturers are always looking for the next "feature" and sensor size is hot. The genie is out of the proverbial bottle and this is where we are headed. I expect the industry to target cheaper and smaller FF cameras until we are at the hight point of film tech in the 90's and early 00's with digital versions of 35mm cameras like the Contax T3.

35mm/135 has never been any magical full frame.It was just the smallest format film performed well enough for most uses in resolution. And decided as scientifically as adapting 35mm cine film, which itself was 70mm film cutted into two strips!

Digital tech has given smaller formats better resolution and way higher sensitivity while giving smaller lenses for same field of view. Especially bird lenses need to be very big for 35mm. (while very thin DOF isn't good)

By itsastickup (2 days ago) ..."and that one day APS-C and maybe even M4/3 sensors might surpass the performance of FF sensors."

Perhaps but as a rule whatever is discovered that improves APS-C can then be worked in to FF but with larger photo sites, so it seems to me unlikely.

That is not true for everything. Larger photo sites means large charges, so large drain of energy and generation of heat. This is a big trouble to do movies as Full HD at 60p and make batteries last. Even a m4/3 needs to be cooled to withstand continue use. So, if the consumer demand more capabilities in movies from the cameras, the FF can be abandoned.

It was an FF party. As for APSC users, it was a "Wait until the next trade show, we have nothing for you" gathering. I know that FF gives the manufacturers better profit margin per unit sold, but do they need to endorse FF that much, I wonder.

Especially after the dissapointment following the realization that dpr's announcement of a fast 10mm lens for nikon one system was in fact not a brilliant new wide angle, it seems doubly cruel to inform us here about panasonics new "14.2mm F1.2" lens for m43--a lens which, if it actually existed, would cause me to instantly order a m43 camera system to use with it.

Which begs the question--why /don't/ they offer a really top-notch fast lens in this focal length? Its about equivalent to a 35mm angle of view if you prefer shooting 2:3, and makes the most of the compact camera designs to provide something to compete with the rx1 when it arrives...

Best: Sony, for its ongoing streak if innovation (i don't use yet any Sony products). Amazing that the RX1 was positioned by dpreview into "being a heroically niche"... one of the most wanted products of the year, despite the high markup - attributed to its optical design and miniaturization?

Worst: Canon. Since years now I'm dissapointed by their relentlessly inertial designs, increasing lag in sensor and system tech. Overall lack of innovation? Let's hope in a comeback, at least partial. I won't kick a seemingly dead horse, nor pick on its recent announcements, but my budget for them is frozen :-).

Runners up: Fuji and Nikon's.

Interesting: Samsung, albeit it's early to judge whether Android means CHDK for the non-enginering photog masses, or just an easier update channel.

Generally the markups seem higher, particularly for FF products. This is ca. 3 yrs after the Alpha 850 (no Virginia, it's not the sensor yield)...

Best: Sony, for its ongoing innovation (i don't use yet any Sony products). The RX1 was rightly positioned into "being a heroically niche". Yet one of the most wanted products, except pricing - attributed to its optical design and miniaturization?

Worst: Canon. Since a few years I'm dissapointed by their relentlessly inertial designs, increasing lag in sensor and system tech. Overall lack of innovation? Flame suit on. Let's hope in a comeback, at least partial. I won't kick a seemingly dead horse, nor pick on its recent announcements, but my budget for their mounts is frozen :-).

Runners up: Fuji and Nikon's.

Interesting: Samsung, albeit it's early to judge whether Android means CHDK for the non-enginering photog masses, or just an easier update channel.

APS dSLRs vanish? And generally the markups seem higher, particularly for FF products. This is ca. 3 yrs after the Alpha 850 (no Virginia, it's not the sensor yield)...

I think it's reasonable to call the RX1 niche - fixed prime lens cameras are not exactly a major market segment. Make it $2,700 and you further narrow down its potential audience. At which point, a subset of small corner of the market - pretty much the definition of a niche market.

It's fascinating, though, and desirable. And I think it's great that a company such as Sony, which mainly operates in the mainstream, should create a product that isn't intended to. It's a brave and impressive move. Hence 'heroically niche.'

Sony's and to some degree Fuji's innovation is the opposite of Lunar's skin deep. It's about camera's core devices and algorithms, e.g. search for EXMOR's column ADC, look at RX1's lens flange (optical equations of a much older T* plus engineering), or cope w/ the heat dissipation of a FF w/o blowing the noise and power budget etc. The way Canon used to be ca. a decade ago.

One has to finally let Minolta separate from Sony. Konica Minolta still exists on its own.

Sony was making high end compacts a year before they even began talks with Konica Minolta, and that compact was the Sony R1, which the RX100 and RX1 are a homage to.

Sony has always been a high-end company with quality products. They lagged behind by about 10 years in the last decade, but they are making a huge comeback, at least in the imaging department.

It is not hard to think of Sony as the Kodak of the digital world, with Sony's dominance in the sensor division for all sizes and types of imaging devices. I just hope that comparison does not lead to Sony going the way of Kodak. lol

It would be really great if Pentax and Olympus both produced a nice Full Frame camera as an alternative to the standard Canikon fare. A little competition would be good for the consumer, giving more choice and balancing price levels out much more equitably. Come on Pentax, come on Olympus - you can do, you both have the smarts and pedigree to do it, so do it!

Well, if you are a DX/APS-C user, it was one of the most depressing shows ever. Note that the roundup mentions almost no new equipment for that format, and no new DX lenses at all. :-( As Thom Hogan pointed out, this format isn't where camera makers are putting their effort. (The Lunacy aside, of course.)

Except for a new A99, not the camera I'd like to get, a depressing dslr show overall... Just two FF's besides the A99 and those are cheap "crippled" FF's. Not as exciting as earlier releases this year. An objective not FF prejudiced onooker might conclude that the big comepanies realize FF is getting nowhere and the cheap FF's are deparate attempts to lure in dedicated APS C enthousiasts who like that format becase of range, size etc etc.

What are you talking about? The Fuji X system is APS-C, NEX is APS-C. Only the camera makers that sell FF cameras are holding off their APS-C products. Why? Because they want to sell some FF cameras first. It is clear that the next generation of APS-C sensors comes pretty close to FF performace (i.e. Fuji). Nikon doesn't want a $1000 D7100 to be jeopardizing their D800 and D600 sales. Once those FF have sold a bit, they will announce the new DX products don't worry...

"It's hard to imagine how the added convenience of full-time internet access will change the way you use a camera, but we suspect a lot of its success will depend on how the mobile contracts required end up being priced"

Ask the users of the new I-phone what it costs. All this nonsense is only made to suck your money, make Internet Provider earn more on your back. On the end, this, "you need to be connected", is a big scam only. Nobody needs nothing except to die. This is commercial brainwash, nothing more. They locate you by your cellphone and it continues by your laptop, your camera-phone, and now your camera, and so on.

Where will it end. We communicate all about us to just anyone on the globe and despite that we don't know who is our neighbor in the building we live or what happens in the bar around the corner. Brave new world we live in, isn't it.

Shamael: bravo! The truth is to be told, no matter how many dismissive replies you're going to get. This connectivity thing is highly suspicious and, just like the 'cloud' concept, can be used with mean purposes. It's 'Brave New World', of course, but it's also '1984' coming to reality.I'm glad more and more people are becoming aware of the dangers of this so-called progress that strips us off our freedom and privacy.

All too often, innovation brings with it a further invasion your of privacy. Witness your Google account's home-page which was OK at first and then suddenly appeared their "chat" function which couldn't be removed - I wonder why? Eavesdropping??

The RX1 had everyone talking. Look at all comments and you get the point. A camera with FF, 35 mm huge lens, 1/2000 fastest speed, in some way a useless wonder in technology. But, there it ends. Let's not talk about the price. In sight of the quality and make of the lens only, the price is rather cheap. But, if Sony had done this with a retractable zoom, in the 20-50 range and a 4000th speed, a 1500$ pricing, this camera had sold like hell. Not to speak about what had been with ILS.

Let us not ask why Sony has gone that way, making a niche product? It will remain a mystery anyway. Let us just hope that it is an announcer for what many of us wait for. If I consider the price of the lens, the RX1 body is worth 5$.

Retractable zoom, 20-50 range, 1/4000s, 1500USD sure. For an APS-C model. But forget a compact FF below 2000USD. Unless someone wants to sell a lot of cameras with no profit at all or with crappy quality.

As far as I can tell it's the fastest leaf shutter *ever*. Even Leica's S lenses with built-in leaf shutters don't go faster than 1/1000s. Most leaf shutters max out at 1/500s.

There were reasons to include a leaf shutter instead of a focal plane shutter:- Silent;- Flash sync across the whole range (try to find a dSLR with 1/2000s sync);- The huge rear element of the lens almost touches the sensor, leaving no room for a focal plane shutter.

I especially enjoyed the interviews with the product managers from Leica, Hasselblad, and Nikon. Not so much for any product information (they weren't giving up anything we couldn't easily get from other sources), but for how much fun it was to watch them bob and weave their way around any question that may have lured them into a potential minefield of controversy about their products. Those guys have some really smooth moves.

Fantastic array of new equipment. Truly exciting to see a number of innovations, compact cameras with full size sensors, a reduction in size for the xpro1, zeiss accepting the need to incorporate autofocus into their fab lenses, the list goes on. For the first time, ever, I can see myself using small cameras with intent to produce quality images for printing. Also fascinating to see that the major players, Canon and Nikon, are again being lead kicking and screaming into new innovations by the smaller and more adventurous companies. All power to Fuji, Olympus (love my OM-D), Sony etc

True they didn't announce a crop camera. However what I said about lenses is valid both for crop and full frame! (and they announced full frame cameras, why not at least a full frame lens to accompany it?)

I see what you're saying and agree. However, while low end compacts are going away I think that something else interesting is happening. I think that the middle and lower end of DX might be thinning out as well. My guess is that we'll be left with a large mirrorless segment, and then maybe 1 entry/mid DX dSLR. Enthusiasts will probably be pushed to semi-pro DX and very attractive low-end FFs.

It's the Photokina with less DSLR lens announcements: no one for the two most important players: Nikon, Canon. Canon even didn't officialy announce the 200-400.Nice in announcements from full frame, compact, mirrorless bodies.

Seriously? Wasn't all this stuff known before the show? If you had encountered Canon's rumored 40-50mp camera, even as a prototype, a large sensor compact from Nikon, the Nikon 17mm PC lens, any large sensor compact besides the Sony, then maybe. The D600 was not exactly a secret and the 6D, by all accounts, not that exciting. I guess the Fuji cameras were something.

Almost all of this stuff was announced during the press day of the trade show. Much of it had been rumoured, to varying degrees of accuracy, but this was the first time it was shown, in public, rather than vague specs and press release renderings being posted on message boards.

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Lensrentals' Roger Cicala just tore down the Sony a7R III to see just how much Sony did (and didn't) improve the camera's weather sealing over its predecessor. The results are a "good news, bad news" deal.

Samsung just set a new solid state storage milestone with its new 30TB SSD, the Serial Attached SCSI PM1643. This monster was built for enterprise use, but we can't wait to see this tech trickle down to consumers.

On this week's episode of The New Screen Savers from the TWiT Network, DPReview Science Editor Rishi Sanyal talks with host Leo Laporte and co-host Megan Morrone about some of the newest tech trends in smartphone cameras.

A blockchain crypto-art rose based on a digital photograph by Kevin Abosch was just sold for the equivalent of $1,000,000 USD in cryptocurrency to 10 equal investors. If that last sentence made absolutely no sense to you, read on.

Swiss Olympic skier Lara Gut wiped out on a run last week, and slid straight into a group of photographers shooting the action from the sidelines. Getty photographer Sean Haffey kept on shooting as Gut slid towards (and eventually hit) him.

There was a time when Fujifilm mirrorless camera users may have felt the need to go to another system to shoot video. Thanks to a new camera and a couple of lenses, they suddenly have some sweet options.

The Rotolight Neo 2 is an LED light panel with the capability to fire its LEDs fast enough and bright enough to act as a strobe. Is it enough to make stills photographers re-think their old-fashioned speed lights? Read on and find out.

Sony has made something of a break-through in sensor development with a new backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that is capable of global shutter, a huge improvement over current CMOS global shutter technology.

Microsoft has released a new "Ultimate Performance" mode for Windows 10 Pro for Workstations—a mode that throws all power management out the window (so to speak) in favor of the best possible performance it can pull from your hardware.